On March 25, President Trump signed executive order, “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” that seeks to change election laws pertaining to federal elections. Four changes of special concern are the following, as this Executive Order:
- gives the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) the authority to review states’ voter rolls;
- requires documentary proof of citizenship by changing the federal voter registration form;
- prohibits the counting of absentee and mail ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after. (It should be noted, however, that 18 states and Washington DC currently permit counting such ballots); and
- will withhold federal funds from states that do not cooperate with the order’s provisions.
In a press release on March 26, the CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWV US), Celina Stewart, stated: “This executive order is an assault on our republic and a dangerous attempt to silence American voters.” Further, the Chief Counsel for the LWV US Marcia Johnson said, “The President can’t unilaterally change election law; this order is not only an attack on American voters’ fundamental freedom to vote, it is also plainly unlawful.”
As a nonpartisan organization with expertise in voting and elections, the League of Women Voters US will partner with like-minded organizations to contest this executive order that threatens Americans’ freedom to vote, tramples states’ constitutional authority to run their own elections and protect voters’ personal information.
As the League’s mission is to empower voters and defend our democracy, the local chapter of the League, LWV VI, will invite the public to attend the public portion of its annual meeting on Saturday, April 12 at 12 p.m. on the UVI campus’s Center for Innovation. Panelists Gov. Albert Bryan, Mark Wenner, and Jed JohnHope will address the topic “Likely Impacts and Possible Strategies for the USVI in Trump 2.0,” as the territory faces various socio-political and economic challenges from the president’s numerous EO’s and policy shifts. Register for virtual participation at lwvusvi@gmail.com. LWV VI welcomes diverse views and ideas that serve to preserve our democracy.
—The League is a political grassroots network and membership organization that believes the freedom to vote is a nonpartisan issue. For more than a century, we’ve worked to empower voters and defend democracy. As a women-led organization, we encourage everyone to take part in our democracy.
Editor’s Note: Opinion articles do not represent the views of the Virgin Islands Source newsroom and are the sole expressed opinion of the writer. Submissions can be made to visource@gmail.com.
